Quantifying Paleoproductivity from Biomass Estimates of Epifaunal Suspension Feeders: A Test of the Productivity Hypothesis in Latest Pliocene Tropical America

0000495Kirby，mthe Pi将通过分析新近纪和第四纪双壳类生物，如巴拿马和哥斯达黎加的果胶类、牡蛎、金枪鱼和Arcids，来检验浮游生产力在热带美洲最新一次上新世下降的假设。每一分类群跨越上更新世界线的生物量增长的减少将与生产力的下降相一致。此外，分析来自上升流地区(浮游生产力较高)的活的表生双壳类生物量增长将加快生物量增长。对化石悬浮摄食者生物量的估计可以作为过去浮游生产力的相对衡量标准。

0000495Kirby, MThe PI will test the hypothesis that planktonic productivity decreased in the latest Pliocene in tropical America by analyzing biomass growth in Neogene and Quaternary bivalves, such as pectenids, oysters, chamids, and arcids from Panama and Costa Rica. A decrease in biomass growth across the Plio-Pleistocene boundary for each taxon would be consistent with a drop in productivity. In addition, analysis of biomass growth in living epifaunal bivalves from upwelling areas (with higher planktonic productivity) will faster biomass growth. The estimation of biomass in fossil suspension feeders may be used as a relative measure for the amount of planktonic productivity in the past.